A personal blog of this 76 year old gay man retired to Delaware with his long term partner/husband. My life has been and continues to be a fabulous journey. This blog is my humble attempt to memorialize my past and current life. Yes, this blog is all about me. Each of us is unique and has a story to tell. This is my story. Someday it will be a movie. What a life I've had and the adventure continues! I am on of the lucky ones. I'm still here, making waves.

Monday, May 11, 2015

The Best Things In Life Are Free

Feeling pretty good these days folks. I stole borrowed this video from one of my favorite bloggers. It pretty much expresses the way I feel now. Fame and riches belong to a fortunate few but I know I have the best life, better than any movie star or Internet billionaire because I have love. And now I have my health back.
So folks, for as long as it lasts, I'm enjoying every day of my fabulous, FREE life. A side note. Another fellow blogger just posted about being called a "faggot." You know what folks? I'm gay, I have been called a faggot many times in my life and probably will again. But if I had a choice, I would be choose no other life for myself than being born gay. I have had and continue to have one fabulous life.
So if anyone calls me a faggot in the future (and it will happen because I live in a gay area of the country) I know what I have always known in the past when I've had that vile word hurled at me, I'm living a happier life than that hateful person ever will with all their poisonous hate.
One thing I have found out in my 73 years of life is that indeed, "The Best Things In Life Are Free."

5 comments:

Yessir!!! Fortunately I have never had "faggot" thrown at me. Of course, I have never held hands in public, or kissed a guy where someone else could see. But then with luck, I will some day, so maybe I, too, will share in the joy of being reviled for who I am.

Fag and faggot were often tossed at me, from grade school on. It took me quite a while to build a thick enough skin to ignore it. I was often sick to my stomach and would vomit before having to take the bus or go to school.

I was bullied on the bus I had to take, and didn't stand up for myself for quite a while. Mainly because I had swallowed the church I had grown up with's BS: turn the other cheek. I finally stood up for myself and fought back, because it was "picture day" and I didn't want my hair messed up. So gay, right? I won my fight (the bully's girlfriend was all over me from the back, screaming and clawing and calling me names), and the bus driver (who was very aware of the bullying all along) pulled over and made us all sit down. Now, fights on the bus were not uncommon, and when we got to school I was ready for the usual routine, when an assistant principal would step on and call out the fighters. Instead, we all got off the bus (bully threatening me with his knife, and his pals with words and implied violence). I spent all of the rest of the AM and home room announcements waiting to be called to the office, but it never happened.

At lunch I was threatened again, and the teachers just ignored it. I honestly feared for my life on the bus ride home, but FINALLY some people stood up for me and sat behind me for my protection. I was so petrified with fear that I never even acknowledged them or their help; I just went somewhere else in my mind. I really regret that I never said "Thank you!" to those guys.

When I got off the bus 2 bullies got off with me, and tried to pick a fight. 2 against 1, and one of them had a knife. Thankfully, we were on a main road, and when the one guy slashed me a passing car honked and stopped. I managed to get by with just a few stitches, and my parents refused to press charges. On the other hand, I broke the knife guy's nose and fractured the arm of the other dude, and no charges were pressed.

All of that to say that not only do words hurt, but there is often physical hurt intended behind them.

Sweet February

I am a 76 year old gay man who retired to Delaware eleven years ago from Pennsylvania with my partner now husband of 53 years. We left Pennsylvania to escape the ever increasing high taxes for the more tax friendly state of Delaware. Now living on a fixed income supplemented by a part-time job as a front desk agent at a local hotel, we are making the most of our declining years. We've both had a fabulous life but we are slowing down now but still having a wonderful life. This blog I write is partly for my own therapy and to share and make friends with others out there in the universe.